Africa-Press – Liberia. — Speaker Koffa reveals how legislative cartel members turn Boulevard Palace Hotel into Capitol Building Annex to manipulate national budget
It’s all coming out and, in typical Liberian colloquialism, “you haul rope and rope hauls the bush”. Members of the House of Representatives might have found the grounds of the Capitol Building inadequate to conduct their affairs, seeking additional space outside, and instead of doing the Liberian people’s work, they engage into clandestine activities that hurt the country more, if what the Speaker of the House of Representatives is anything to go by.
Providing more reasons why some of his colleagues want him removed from the speakership, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, said that there is a cartel of lawmakers, and collaborators, who continue to milk the country to enrich themselves at the expense of the ordinary people.
During separate media engagements on Spoon Talk and at his Capitol office on Wednesday, October 23, the Speaker disclosed revelations concerning systemic corruption and the misuse of state resources within the House of Representatives. Cartel members, he said, manipulate the budget every year to short-change the Liberian people.
“This same cartel will carry the budget to Boulevard Palace Hotel Room 1026 to adjust all the numbers,” Koffa said, noting that the primary reason behind his colleagues’ attempts to remove him is his “persistent refusal to allow lawmakers to steal from the government’s offers.”
A resolution, signed by the 47 lawmakers on October 17, calls for Speaker Koffa’s removal, claiming he no longer enjoys their confidence. The rebellious lawmakers, who are accused of being bribed to embark on this course, accuse him of manipulating the House budget and using his position to further his personal business interests, which they argue undermines his leadership and the integrity of the legislative body. They are yet to prove their allegations against their leader.
Supporters of the Speaker counter that the move to oust him is driven by an audit he initiated, which is likely to expose significant financial misconduct implicating several high-ranking members of the Legislature — possibly including himself.
They further allege that the ‘majority bloc’ is keen to prevent Speaker Koffa from presiding over the 2025 Budget hearing, which could potentially allow them to manipulate the budget.
The Grand Kru County lawmaker has vowed not to bow to old tactics or maneuvers that saw the removals of former Speakers. According to him, resigning or stepping down is not an option and that he will ensure the law is followed to the letter. By law, he can legally be removed by a resolution signed by 49 lawmakers — constituting two-thirds of the House membership, the necessary number for impeachment.
During the media engagement, Koffa expressed his concerns about the budget formulation process. He disclosed that veteran lawmakers from the Ways and Means Committee would convene at Boulevard Hotel Room 1026 to adjust budget figures.
“During these discussions, various government ministries and agencies would be invited to review the initial amounts allocated to them by the Ministry of Finance,” he said, adding how some lawmakers would inform these officials that they intended to inflate the budget to secure kickbacks.
“This same cartel came to me when I requested off-budget spending,” he recalled. “They said, ‘Mr. Speaker, we saw in their computer that the off-budget is $15 million, but you can forget it if you ask them for $2 million. Are you crazy?” He stated.
“There is no bloc in the Legislature; I remain the Speaker. Any activities outside the chambers are merely meetings,” Koffa declared, affirming his readiness and determination to confront any attempts against him.
The Speaker clarified that he has no intentions of stepping down, dismissing the attempts to remove him as “unrealistic and personal”. He pointed out the misuse of oversight powers by several lawmakers for personal gain from the Executive branch.
The Speaker emphasized the necessity of a thorough audit within the House of Representatives to address these issues, acknowledging the absence of an auditing system by the General Auditing Commission. He concluded with a poignant remark, stating, “I may be disheartened by humanity, but my spirit remains unbroken.”
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